A Crystal police officer and a good Samaritan who had stopped at a crash scene Tuesday morning narrowly escaped injury when a box truck skidded out of control and missed them by inches.

A video posted on the Crystal Police Department's Facebook page shows the truck whizzing by on the right side of Lt. Peter Underthun's squad while it was parked on the shoulder of westbound I-94 between County Road 81 and Hwy. 101 with lights flashing.

Underthun, the driver of a vehicle involved in the mishap, and a person who stopped to help scurried to get out of the way as the truck approached the crash scene. The driver regained enough control to avoid a collision but passed close enough that the officer felt the breeze go by.

"We crouched down and didn't know what to do," Underthun said.

A brief snow squall had just moved through the area shortly after 7 a.m. and made roads slippery. Underthun was driving east on Interstate 94 in Rogers and on his way to work when he saw a spinout in the westbound lanes. A driver had lost control and skidded into the center cable median barrier. The driver pulled the vehicle onto the right shoulder.

Underthun did a U-turn and headed to the crash scene.

With the vehicle resting on the right shoulder and Underthun's squad parked car close behind, the video shows a fast-moving truck heading straight for the lieutenant and crash victim.

The truck driver did stop after passing the scene. He will not be cited, Underthun said.

"It was one of those bad circumstances that might not have happened if he'd slowed down," Underthun said. "People need to drive appropriately [for the weather] and with due care. When you see red lights, make sure you move over a lane."

Tim Harlow • 612-673-7768